ENVI expands in the Kingdom with 200 keys spread across different locations, starting with a lodge near Riyadh set to open end of 2023.
ENVI Lodges has signed a master agreement with Mansour Alsanooni Group to operate multiple ecolodges across Saudi Arabia. Mansour Alsanooni Group is owned by Mansour Alsanooni, a successful entrepreneur and prominent figure in the Kingdom’s entertainment industry.

The lodges will consist of innovative modular pods that were conceived by Alsanooni himself. He first developed a prototype in Riyadh knowing that such alternative concept would be well received by the residents. “The prototype was a huge success”, says Alsanooni. “After a season during which the pod was fully booked for private events, I decided to collaborate with ENVI Lodges to develop the concept into an experiential hospitality project. We want to offer a memorable escape nestled in nature, with an innovative culinary offering, and 5-star amenities.”

Mansour Alsanooni Group’s objective is to develop 200 keys within the next two years, spread across multiple locations.

“I have big ambitions to capitalise on the growth of the leisure and tourism sector in the Kingdom,” Alsanooni adds, “and I am extremely happy to have selected ENVI to operate my projects. The team fully shares my vision and their expertise in managing such alternative experiential projects makes ENVI the ideal partner to help me reach my objectives”.

Earlier this year, ENVI Lodges announced an ecolodge on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea. With Mansour Alsanooni Group, ENVI is adding its second project in the Kingdom which will be located on the outskirts of the capital, on a farm adjacent to Wadi Hanifah.

“We are very excited to work on this first project with Mansour Alsanooni, a dynamic and creative entrepreneur who loves to surprise and entertain people through his projects”, says Chris Nader, co-founder of ENVI Lodges. “We aim to keep Mansour’s spirit in the lodge and create elements of surprise and wow factors that will drive repeat stays.”

Nader also says that the proximity of this first location to the city makes it very attractive not only for weekend and holiday staycations, but also for weekday gateways and corporate trips. “We want this first lodge to become the preferred escape for Riyadh’s residents and visitors”.

The project will have 50 pods hidden between palm trees already existing on site. The pods will have a large outdoor seating area, a BBQ corner, and a private pool. An immersive experiential garden at the centre of the project will be created for group gatherings and private events, consisting of an outdoor dining area, a fire pit for the evenings, a chef’s garden, a swimming pool, and a workshop space for various arts & crafts activities. Finally, the wellness centre will offer various relaxation programmes, a meditation facility, and treatments which will use locally sourced products.

The choice of modular pods reduces the construction period, the disturbance to the land and the carbon footprint. “We want to open our projects fast while being careful about the impact we make on the environment,” says Alsanooni. He concludes: “I want to develop hundreds of keys by 2030 to contribute to the tourism objectives of my country, and I have already identified the site for the next project which ENVI and I hope to announce soon”.